nicoletti



L. NICOLETTI.

CIPHER APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 020.1. 1918.

1,3 1 1 ,457, Patented July 29, 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Fig.2

L. NICOLETTI.

CIPHER APPARATUS. APPLICATION man mac-7. 1919.

1,3 1 L57 Patented Jul 29, 1919.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LUIGI NICOLETTI, OF ROME, ITALY.

.CIPHER APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jul 29, 1919.

Application filed December 7, 1918. Serial No. 265,776.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LUIGI Nroomm, subject of the King of Italy, residing at Rome, Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cipher Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object an apparatus by means of which it is possible to cipher and decipher messages and wrltings of any kind and in any language by multiple transposition of each letter and by using a number as key.

The apparatus according to this invention, comprises essentially a set of bars mounted parallel with each other and adapted to slide into a frame having two stationary reference members or parts. On each sliding bar figures are marked, the

same being arranged in any desired succession and being spaced apart from each other to equal spaces, so that by carrying said bars in a given position corres onding with the key number adopted, a tab e is obtained on the apparatus the same providing rules for dividing into various assemblage the letters forming the message or writin to be ciphered, the letters being assume to be written after each other without leaving a free space between subsequent words; said letters may thus be assembled in several manners, to form the cipher message, according to any desired rule, but in any case the letters are in a given relation with the desired key number or, if required, with other rules stated by the correspondents.

The annexed drawing shows by way of example some constructions of apparatus according to the invention, and

Figure 1 shows a construction of the apparatus in its closed position,

Fig. 2 is a view of the same during use; Fig. 3 shows another construction of the apparatus in closed position,

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3;

. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of a detached slidmg bar; 4

Fig. 6 shows the apparatus represented in Fig. 3 in use, and

ig. 7 is a face view of a card which may be used in connection with the apparatus shown in Fig. 3.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the apparatus comprises a frame made of two side members a and 6 connected by means of two transverse members a and d, ten bars 6 being mounted to slide longitudinally or endwise between said linembers. On each of said bars are marked figures from 0 to 9, the same being located at the side of each other and being repeated in the same succession on each respective bar, the succession of the figures being any required one and, if desired, difi'erent in the individual bars, as shown in Fig. 1. Each of said bars 6 may be provided with a particular reference or character, say in roman numerals, located preferably at one of its ends, the same being intended to difierentiate each bar from the other ones; further each bar is provided, also near one end, with a clear or unmarked space the same being positioned under the transverse member a when the apparatus is in closed .position, said transverse member being taken as reference part.

The transverse member 0 is preferably provided with a vertical openin 0 to safely individuate the figure of each ar which is carried in register with the reference part when using the apparatus.

By moving the several bars c it is always possible to carry any required figure thereof in re ister with opening 0 and the apparatus will be ready for use when into said opening appear the figures forming the number adopted as key. 4 y

In the above described apparatus the key may have up to ten figures, ut it may comprise a smaller number of figures; in this case, if requiredythe correspondents may 7' cause the key assumed containssix figures, take as a rule that the figures of the key the followifig arrangement will be formed:

number'must be assumed to be repeated the same succession. o 2 7" 4 n. e 1 a Thus, by way of example, i n F-1g. 2-the apparatus is shown in-its positlon for the i 1 n d 1 ke.,919740.- hetween transverse'members' c and dare y r v thus arranged ten vertical rows and ten horizontal rows of fi res, the same givin 0 '5 -.e n rise to a ciphering tab e that is a table whic v may be used in accordance with any desired e -1 'm m e d rule stated by the corres ondents to pro I erly assemble the letters orming the wor s 1 a. t Y 1 v of the writing to be ciphered into groups; 7 7 3 each formed by the. number of letters given 1 w l a W a by the subsequent figures of'the table; for a p this operation said words are to be written 1 Y a t t h in close succession aftereach other, that is a without leaving a free space between two i subsequent words. Thus by assuming by way of example that it has been agreed upon to read said figures in'vertical rows from d I top to bottom and. from left hand to right a hand, the cipher (0) being omitted, the subt w o sequent figures of the table as ap caring I from Fig. 2, in accordance. with t e key n t 1 i r assumed,are:52476895183-762j4= 2 3 2 8 6 and by assuming that'the 1 n v following sentence has to be ciphered: Kindly reach me immediately I will await n t you at the stated place on twentyfirst instant at six oclock, the words 0 this sent, s 1 tence will be assembled in the following groups: 7 q 0 Kindl yr each meimmed iately iwillawa ityouatth estat e dplaceon twe' ntyfirs tinsta I o 1 nt atsi xo c1 00 k.

Obviousl the last letter group may como c prise a sma ler number of letters with regard to that shown by the last figure. Should A k the message continue after all the table figures have been used the same table is used again from beginning to the required number of times.

The several groups of letters thus obtained are then written in rows on a paper sheet provided with cases, these rows being marked by figures 1 to 9 arranged, by wa of example, in the same succession as t ese figures are located into one of the horizontal or vertical rows of the table, the same horizontal or vertical row being known as a rule by the correspondents.

By assuming that the arrangement of the sixth horizontal row must be adopted be.-

By. writing in succession way of example from top to bottom the letters located kyemiiieedtntnax okncitiytleynsldwtoslmllu tcit.

in the vertical rows marked by figures'l, 2,

The letters maybe arranged to form assembla es for instance of five each in order to faci itate the transmission by cable and the verification.

well as other rules above referred to, may

by following the same method, but in t reverse succession, that is by writing the letters in rows from top to bottom," on a paper sheet provided with cases, without going beyond a lower limit determlned by agreement.

In the construction illustrated in Figs. 3 and 6, the apparatus comprises twenty sliding bars e, each of them bein provided with ten figures (1,2, 3,4 0 arranged in their natural succession from left to right hand.

In such a case, by bringing a given figure of one of said sliding bars 6 lnto the opening 0 of the transverse member 0, a number of spaces is left free between the right end of the same bar and the opposite transverse member d of the frame, such number being equal to the units of said figure.

Thus, after the bars have been moved to carry in register with opening 0 the respective figure of each bar to form the key number, instead of obtaining on the apparatus a table showing the numberof letters having to be written into a horizontal row of a paper sheet, as in the above described example, the apparatus provides directly rows of free cases each row having a different number of cases into which the letters of the message may be written.

In this construction the key may comprise up to twenty figures. As it appears from Fig. 6, on the apparatus a number of cases is left free into which cases are then written in succession the letters of the message, thereby being obtained their arrangement by horizontal and vertical rows; thereafter said letters are written by vertical rows taken in the succession shown by figures on the frame member a, as in the example above referred to, and the ciphering is obtained.

In order to allow of Writing the letters on the same apparatus also in the case of a somewhat long message, it is useful to provide behind the bars 6 a space f into which cards 9 or the like may be inserted one after another the cards being provided with horizontally numbered rows of cases (Fig. 7) the letters are written in the respective cases which are cleared by bars 6 after the same have been carried into their res ective key positions and the cipher sentence 1s then obtained by copying from the said cards the letters by vertical row succession as shown by figures marked on the top of said cards.

translate into usual language the message e The bars 6 .are preferably interengaged with each other by means of tongues or lips h and slots i provided on the sides thereof, so as to hold them in the same plane; the under surfaces of said bars are conveniently provided with recesses Z in register with each figure marked on the front or top surfaces, said recesses bein intended to engage a projection m provlded on the frame member 0 (see Figs. 4 and 5) for the purpose of locking said plates with their figures arranged exactly in vertical rows.

Obviously the number of bars and of figures marked on each of them may be modified accordin to requirements; also the constructlon of t e apparatus may differ from that described and illustrated, the same being given merely by way of example.

In any case the described apparatus allows of qulc ly and easil ciphering sentences and messa es by mu tiple transposition of letters, the anguage being immaterial as the transposition is made upon rules based upon the arithmetic value of the figures.

Further this apparatus provides the ad vanta e of allowing the use as key of a number w ich may be kept in mind without requ rmg the use of formulae or of noting by wrlting said key, this latter method being liable to. cause the same key or formula to be detected.

The key may also be varied or modified at will and cannot be detected by inspecting the apparatus when the bars have been restored to their closed osition.

The apparatus accordlng to this invention may have very small size and allows quick an easy manipulations while providing a very large number of combinations, say about ten milliards, so that it is practically impossible to detect the key. v

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. Ciphering apparatus comprising, in combination, a frame having fixed reference means thereon; and a plurality of parallel bars slidably mounted in the frame for displacement individually with relation to said reference means, all of the different bars bearing an equal number of figures so as to furnish for each osition of the bars determined in accor ance with a selected numerical key a ciphering table which forms a guide for the breaking up of the message into definite groups of letters.

2. Ciphering apparatus comprising, in combination, a frame having fixed reference 'lar nuinerical'order, so as to furnish for each position of the bars determined in accordance with a selected numerical key a ciphering table constituted by the rows of letterreceiving cases left free by the movement of the barsand which determine the grouping of the letters of the message.

3. Ciphering apparatus comprislng, 1n

combination, a frame having fixed reference means thereon; aplurality of parallel bars slidably mounted in the frame for'displacement individually with relation to said reference means, all of the different bars bearing an equal number of fi res in regular numerical order, so as to rnish for each position of the bars determined in accordance with a selected. numerical key'a ciphering table constituted by-the rows of letterreceiving cases left free by the movement of the bars and which determine the grou ing of the-letters of the message; and car s on which the letters of the message are to be grouped, said cards ada to be 1n the frame behind the are.

4. fhphering apparatus comprising, in combmation,a frame having fixed reference means thereon; a' plurality of arallel bars s'lidably mounted 1n the frame or displace-j ment ndividuall with relation to said ref- ;erence means, sald bars being engaged with one another and with the frame and all of inserted sc 1 them bearing anaequal number of figures in regular numerical order, so as to. furnishfor' each pos1t1on of the bars determined in accordance with a selected ke a ciphering table constituted by the rows 0 letter-receivng cases left free by the movement of. the bars and which determine the grouping of the letters of the message; and cards on which the letters of the message are to be grouped, said cards adapted to be inserted 1n the frame behind the bars.

a In testimony whereof I aifilx m signature. LUIGI NIC LETTI. Witnesses:

Rnrsoei Scom, EDUARDO NILESE. 

